Sensitive Ingredients and Nonedible Items - PDF document

1 EHI HALOM /
 Sensitive Ingredient
EHI HALOM /
 Sensitive Ingredients and Nonedible Items 
they are permissible for even a non-dangerously ill person29. Sepharadim have no such custom and are allowed to eat dried fruits on Pesach, as long as they do not contain any wheat flour or Chametz, something which is often found on dried figs30. Citric Acid Food products which contain citric acid that is made from wheat are allowed to be consumed on Pesach, though they preferably should be purchased before Pesach. Ideally, food producers should refrain from using such ingredients in “Kosher for Pesach” products.31Gelatin The new era of food production ushered in with it a wave of Halachic questions. One of the most famous is the question ———————EHI / ——————— wheat flour on them. Noda B’Yehuda (Tanina, 71) and Shulchan Gavoha (note 14). 29 Maharil (25), Zera Emet (Vol. 1, 62) as well as Chatam Sofer (Orach Chaim, 79). 30 See Chazon Ovadia (Pesach, page 117:14 and note 38). 31 Chazon Ovadia (Pesach, page 104:8) and Yechave Daat (Vol. 2, 62). EHI HALOM /
 Sensitive Ingredients and Nonedible Items 
of whether or not gelatin made from the bones and skin of

2 a non-Kosher animal or an animal that wa
a non-Kosher animal or an animal that was not slaughtered properly32, is allowed to be consumed. Gelatin is often used to congeal and change the textures of the food products to which it is added. Maran writes33: A burnt insect is permitted to be eaten for healing purposes since it is considered to be dust. The Rama34 agrees and writes that one is permitted to actively burn an insect or any other non-Kosher food in order to heal even a non-dangerously ill person. The Shach35 adds that any non-Kosher food may be burned for this purpose, aside from wood or wine which were used for idol worship36. Many maintain that this is only permitted for a sick person and for healing purposes. When it has already been burned ———————EHI / ——————— 32 These are then soaked in a liquid mixture of chemicals until they become a fine powder. 33 Yoreh Deah 44:14. 34 ibid, end of 125. 35 Ibid. 36 See Rivash. EHI HALOM /
 Sensitive Ingredients and Nonedible Items 
it is allowed for even a healthy person. Others37 disagree and allow one to do so intentionally even for a healthy person, and the Halachah follows the latter opinion. The Rama, sourc

3 ing the Bet Yosef in the name of the Shi
ing the Bet Yosef in the name of the Shibolei HaLeket, writes38: The lining of the stomach that is sometimes salted and dried, and becomes like wood, [after which] it is filled with milk, is permissible, since it has dried and merely becomes like wood, and there is not any moisture of meat [remaining] in it”39. The Shach40 applies this ruling to other body parts of the animal as well, though he ideally prefers not allowing one to do so. We can see from the sources listed above, that many Poskim are of the opinion that gelatin from a non-Kosher ———————EHI / ——————— 37 Erech HaShulchan (Yoreh Deah, end of 44). Rabbi Yaakov Peretz in Emet L’Yaakov: Orchot HaRav VeKehillato (7:2:42). 38 Yoreh Deah 87:10. 39 Note that the Tiferet Tzvi uses the Shach (114:22) in order to disprove the opinion of the Siftei Daat who wished to limit this only to the lining of the stomach. See Netivot Bina (7) in Emet L’Yaakov above. 40 33. EHI HALOM /
 Sensitive Ingredients and Nonedible Items 
source is permissible for consumption41. Other Poskim vehemently objected42, and were of the opinion that gelatin is prohibited unless it is derived from

4 a Kosher source. The Halachah follows
a Kosher source. The Halachah follows the first opinion43, although many Kashrut organizations today choose to follow the stricter opinion. Adhering to this stringency is permitted as long as one does not vilify those who allow gelatin to be consumed, as well as maintaining strictness in other, more vital, areas of Jewish law44. ———————EHI / ——————— 41 Among those who permit gelatin are: Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzinsky in Achiezer (3:32), Rabbi Tzvi Pesach Frank in Har Tzvi (Yoreh Deah 83), Rabbi David Tzvi Hoffman in Melamed LeHoil (Yoreh Deah 24), and Rabbi Ovadia Yosef in Yabia Omer (Vol. 8, Yoreh Deah 11). 42 Rabbi Moshe Feinstein in Igrot Moshe (Yoreh Deah, Vol. 2, 23, 27, 32), Rabbi Aharon Kotler in Mishnat Aharon (1:16-17) and Rabbi Yitzchak Weiss in Minchat Yitzchak (5:5). 43 Rabbi Yaakov Peretz in Emet L’Yaakov: Orchot HaRav VeKehillato (7:2:17). See Pninei Halachah (Likkutim 3, Likkutim B’Kashrut) who writes that all agree that even if prohibited, it is only on a Rabbinic level, and therefore maintains that the Halachah must follow the more lenient opinion since that is the rule when dealing with Rabbinic doubt (Safek D’Rabb

5 anan LeKula). 44 We once heard this in a
anan LeKula). 44 We once heard this in a shiur from Rabbi Yaakov Peretz, who mentioned unnecessary Chumrot and included this as one of them. EHI HALOM /
 Sensitive Ingredients and Nonedible Items 
Insect Coloring Similarly, based on the reasoning above, coloring made from dried insects is permitted45. Many Kashrut organizations today choose to be stringent in this regard, which is permissible if the above conditions are met. Closing Words Some Ashkenazim have stringent customs regarding a variety of foods on Pesach, due to their adherence to the rulings of the Rama. Nonetheless, a Posek is not allowed to rule strictly for Sepharadim who follow the rulings of Maran. Even if the Posek wishes to be stringent, he may only do so for himself.46———————EHI / ——————— 45 Rabbi Chaim Ben Attar (the author of Or HaChaim on the Chumash) in Pri Toar (20:87) in the name of the Tiferet Tzvi, and Rabbi Yaakov Peretz in Emet L’Yaakov: Orchot HaRav VeKehillato (7:2:16). See Birkei Yosef who permits the consumption of dry, congealed donkey blood even for someone who is healthy. 46 Chazon Ovadia (Pesach, page 109-110 and note 31 at length)